The way we decorate the spaces we live in has a profound effect on how we feel and the power to change our moods as soon as we walk through the door. There are a lot of factors at play, but years of research have proven what we already knew, that simply looking at our favourite colours can lift our spirits.
Decorating a home, however, requires a lot more than painting walls with our favourite colours. There is as much science as art to colour and design, and considering how much of an impact aesthetics have on our moods, partnering with a commercial painting company that provides colour consultations can impact your quality of life in immeasurable ways.
Below is some of the science behind how colours affect our moods.
The Affect Colour Has on Mood
Reactions to certain colours and groups of colours often affect us all similarly. Scientific research has shown that colours can boost our moods, make us feel calm or even trigger aggressive or depressed reactions. For example, the research on how colour impacts mood links warm shades like red and yellow to producing feelings of excitement and delight, while cooler colours like blue and green are known to have a calming and relaxing effect.
The amount of colour saturation and its level of brightness has also been shown to affect mood. For example, while blue is supposed to be a calming, soothing colour, painting a wall in a less bright but very saturated shade of blue can make you feel energized.
There is a visceral component to how we react to different colours, which can explain why people have similar reactions to seeing the same colours, but our reactions can also be influenced by past experiences, and there’s also a highly subjective element based on personal taste.
Having said all of that, when it comes to choosing colours for your home, choose ones that you’re drawn to but also keep in mind the mood you want to set in each area of your home and who will be using those spaces.
Choosing Colours for the Mood You Want to Set
Colours that Evoke Happiness and Energy
Bright, warm colours like yellows, oranges and reds can be the right choice for communal spaces like kitchens and entrances where you want to feel cheerful and energetic.
Finding Peace and Tranquility
Blue and green remind us of the colours of water and nature, which can create feelings of calm and serenity. This makes them popular choices in bedrooms and bathrooms – places we often go to escape.
Getting Warm and Comfy
Earthy neutral tones are comforting and inviting, which can make colours that span the earthy colour palette from the browns, tans, and taupes to the mustards, olives and mauves an option for spaces you gather with friends and family and want them to be as comfortable as possible.
Creating a Dreamy Atmosphere
Shades of purple and black can create an air of fantasy and mystery, which might make them the right combination for drifting off to sleep in a bedroom. Combinations of darker shades like charcoal and eggplant can evoke feelings of coziness, while lighter shades like lavender and gray can also create a similar calming effect that comes with gray, rainy days.
